• Overview
• Staging information
• Translations
• Sample translations
• Production history

Scene

The play is a three-act comedia.

Staging

First act: opens in the forest, in two caverns among elevated rocks and crags. The Devil appears up high in a rock. Scene changes to the outside of a house, then inside the noble house. Then change to the Sea Port at the edge of the city. Then to the house of Anareto, Enrico’s father; the old man is infirm in a bed hidden behind curtains (which need to close to conceal him while the men talk outside that little enclosure). Then out to the street. Then on the edge of the city by the sea. Then out in the forest where Paulo makes reference to some elm trees, where he is going to tie up the travellers (although he presumably does this offstage. Then the little shepherd appears floating on high on a mountainside. Then Paulo and his men drag Enrico out of a river and he stands there soaking wet; they tie Enrico and Galván to a tree, bandits arrive with bows and arrows and weapons. In act three Enrico and Pedrisco are in a jail cell that faces the street, so the women can come visit them and action can take place within the jail as well. A separate dungeon for Enrico and the Devil. The Devil creates a little door through which Enrico can supposedly pass, but it disappears at the end of their scene. The scene shifts back to the forest. Two angels are seen taking the soul of Enrico up to Heaven. After Paulo dies at the base of the mountain, Pedrisco covers his body up with branches. Paulo reappears, in flames.

Cast number

Minimum	Maximum
10 males	25 males
2 females	3 females
12 (total)	28 (total)

Cast information

It could probably be staged with fewer actors, with more doubling and conflation of some of the bandit/jail guards/townsfolk characters. Alternatively it could be staged with considerably more actors, including extra bailiffs, bandits, porters, guards, peasants, servants and entourage.

Characters

• PAULO, A hermit, protagonist
• PEDRISCO, Paulo’s servant and the gracioso
• THE DEVIL
• OCTAVIO, Nobleman
• LISANDRO, Nobleman
• CELIA, Noble lady
• LIDORA, Celia’s maidservant
• ENRICO, The antagonist
• GALVÁN, Enrico’s servant
• ROLDÁN
• CHERINOS
• ESCALANTE
• ANARETO, Enrico’s infirm father
• ALBANO, An old man
• THE GOVERNOR OF NAPLES
• BAILIFFS, Accompanying the Governor
• BANDITS, One of whom is named Celio
• TRAVELLERS, Captured by the bandits, three referred to in text
• A LITTLE SHEPHERD
• TWO PORTERS AT THE JAIL, One of whom is named Fidelio
• PRISONERS
• THE HEAD JAILER
• JAIL GUARDS
• JUDGE
• ARMED PEASANTS (3), Named Celio (possibly a bandit from above), Fineo, and Fabio
• TOWNSFOLK

·Paulo, A hermit, protagonist

·Pedrisco, Paulo’s servant and the gracioso

·The Devil

·Octavio, Nobleman

·Lisandro, Nobleman

·Celia, Noble lady

·Lidora, Celia’s maidservant

·Enrico, The antagonist

·Galván, Enrico’s servant

·Roldán

·Cherinos

·Escalante

·Anareto, Enrico’s infirm father

·Albano, An old man

·The Governor of Naples

·Bailiffs, Accompanying the Governor

·Bandits, One of whom is named Celio

·Travellers, Captured by the bandits, three referred to in text

·A Little Shepherd

·Two Porters at the Jail, One of whom is named Fidelio

·Prisoners

·The Head Jailer

·Jail Guards

·Judge

·Armed Peasants, Named Celio (possibly a bandit from above), Fineo, and Fabio

Townsfolk

Entry written by Kathleen Jeffs. Last updated on 4 October 2010.

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